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Not all hate is loud. Not all resistance looks like rebellion. Sometimes, it shows up as a familiar voice calling you back to a life God already delivered you from.

“As a man, when you level up, leave your hometown. Not out of pride, but for peace…“

That quote might have been written with men in mind, but it is a truth that has no gender. This message is for anyone who’s fought their way out of darkness and refuses to be pulled back. I’m not saying that you always have to physically leave your hometown for change to be possible. Rather, a call to action to consider your surroundings and be willing to change them if necessary.

And make no mistake—something will try to pull you back.

Sometimes, that “hate” doesn’t look like an enemy at all. It looks like a friend who keeps reminding you of who you used to be. A loved one who doesn’t understand your transformation. A voice saying, “Don’t forget where you came from,” when what they really mean is, “Stay where I’m comfortable seeing you.”

Growth offends comfort. Freedom threatens bondage.

If you’re serious about stepping into who God has called you to be, at some point, you will have to change your environment to match your new identity.

Familiarity Will Fight Your Future

Even Jesus experienced it.

“A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown…”

— Mark 6:4 (ESV)

They couldn’t see Him as the Messiah because they remembered Him as the carpenter’s son. And some people will never allow you to grow beyond the version of yourself that’s most convenient for them.

That’s why leaving is not always abandonment—it’s alignment. You’re not leaving people behind because you think you’re better. You’re leaving because the peace and purpose God is cultivating in you requires space to breathe.

God Didn’t Free You to Stay Bound

There was a time when temptation called the shots. When guilt was your default setting. When shame whispered lies that you believed. But now?

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

You’re not who you were. And praise God—those old chains no longer fit.

Still, that doesn’t mean everyone around you sees the difference. That’s why you’ve got to protect your growth. Because the same environment that birthed your struggle is often the worst place to sustain your healing.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”

— Romans 12:2 (ESV)

Transformation needs a safe place to take root. And sometimes, you’ve got to get out of the wilderness before you can enter the Promised Land.

When the Past Comes Knocking…

You will be tempted to go back.

Back to old conversations.

Back to places that feel like home but drain your spirit.

Back to the version of you that God already buried.

But that’s when you press harder.

“Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal…”

— Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)

You didn’t fight your way through depression, addiction, doubt, or deception to turn around now. You’ve come too far. And what God is doing in your life is too valuable to be risked for comfort or approval.

Reflection: What’s Worth Protecting?

Maybe God’s been stirring you to make a move—emotionally, spiritually, or even physically. Maybe you’ve felt the tension of outgrowing a place or people who only remember your past. If that’s you, don’t ignore it.

Ask yourself:

• Who or what is trying to keep me tethered to the version of myself that no longer exists?
• What boundaries must I set to protect what God is growing in me?
• Is it time to step away—not out of pride, but for peace?

You’re not running away. You’re rising up.

Protect your growth. Guard your peace. And if the old life comes calling, let it find no one home.

You’re gone.

You left to live.

L. Abigail Bradeen